Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

[jkust]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

Given that =>

Maybe you could delegate a lot of that false-alarm response as a shared responsibility?...

Yet another good point. Given I travel for work, there is a good chance it would be her that would have to deal with it. Of course other than turning on the heater boards or something else very simple, she really wouldn't be able to troubleshoot as I would unfortunately.
I wished I was at the point of dealing with the possibility of false alarms meaning everything was set up already. It's been 24 hours and still no call back from the local phone company to discuss a phone line.
Interestingly, we had some plumbing work done several weeks back and the plumber who as part of his offered services charges $150 to blow out the plumbing suggested keeping the place heated all year. He suggested more potential issues letting the whole place freeze solid than heating it or so apparently he has seen.

 

[hungupthespikes]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

Option 3: House sitter.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

As this is what I do for a living, I guess I'll chime in. First off, if your leaving your place for any amount of time, turn your water off. It's only one valve and it limits you to minimal damage should a pipe break. ANY existing alarm can be monitored via cell by adding a GSM to the system. Your monitoring rate will only increase $5 or $10 dollars a month for the cell service. Many new systems have it built in. Also any alarm can monitor anything from smoke alarms, temperature, water leak, break-in etc. As to operating them, if you are monitoring 24 hr.devices such as a thermostat, you don't have to do anything to reset. It's automatic. Many newer systems can be controlled through a Smartphone. You can raise or lower your temperature from anywhere. Finally, look up... alarm.com on the web. I am a dealer as well as others across the continent. I'm sure there is a dealer near you. You may get some good info. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

If I have unlimited use of the sleds, food, and fuel, I will stay in your "cabin" all winter! HA! Wish I could!

 

[jkust]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

If I have unlimited use of the sleds, food, and fuel, I will stay in your "cabin" all winter! HA! Wish I could!

Ha ha well the thing is we need some snow and some real cold to freeze the swamps and ponds. Lately it's a crap shoot as to which part of MN is going to get the snow. Since we can snowmobile right from our main house even though I live in a large town, I actually got sick of snowmobiling the last couple years since we got so much snow. I had planned on buying a couple four wheelers as well but then the charity intermediary decided to massively increase their share. Just the extra fairness share above and beyond the pre 2013 rates was the amount for the boat lift I need, a couple new big bore 4 wheelers and a couple new sleds...oh and my main house bathroom remodel. All gone hence me having to get creative with this freeze alarm situation.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

Good point on running 2 hours and 15 minutes for a false alarm.

Good reason to make friends with a full timer on your lake. We've got a guy a couple doors down who has all the security codes to get in if we need to give him a call to see why the alarms are going off - same guy keeps the driveway cleared out for us. Only a 90 minute drive for me but I get the calls since the folks are in FL during the winter.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

I have a lockbox on my property and I have the name/number of the local HVAC guy that will go out when needed if there is a heating issue. He is also the guy that installed my hew heater. He very much liked my thermostat and said he might start using it.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

I have a lockbox on my property and I have the name/number of the local HVAC guy that will go out when needed if there is a heating issue. He is also the guy that installed my hew heater. He very much liked my thermostat and said he might start using it.

We've got a Schlage keypad lock on one of the doors with a guest code for emergencies. I do have to run out there to manually change the code if we ever have to use it, but it is convenient.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

Just for one more point of ref - the diagram on the right shows a sandpoint and where the check valve is normally located.

 

[jkust]

Re: Anybody ever use a freeze alarm for a vacation home?

Good reason to make friends with a full timer on your lake. We've got a guy a couple doors down who has all the security codes to get in if we need to give him a call to see why the alarms are going off - same guy keeps the driveway cleared out for us. Only a 90 minute drive for me but I get the calls since the folks are in FL during the winter.

There is one full time family a couple doors down and our neighbors warned us explaining they are just crazy and irrational weirdoes. They live off of a trust as they are part of a household name food brand family and don't work. Somehow I'm thinking they won't be helping us out. But the lock box and the digital keypad are good ideas. The plumber that also does heating that we had do our work and both his young apprentices were very professional albeit expensive but I wouldn't have an issue calling them in the event of an alarm.